Mucking machine



May 13, 1941- D. c. coRNER 2,241,446

MUCKING MACHINE Filed May 16, 1939 4 sheets-sheet 1 May 13, 1941. D. c. CORNER MUCKING MACHINE 4 sheets-sheet 2 Filed May 1S, 1939 llllllll lll.

wws I CEEA/EB May 13,1941. D. c. CORNER 2,241,446

lMUCKING MACHINE Filed May 16, 1939 4 Sheets--SheeiI 3 N r t? www "T giu/ventola May 13, 1941- D. c. CORNER 2,241,446

MUCKING MACHINE Filed May 16, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 affairs/sa @AW m,

Patented May 13, 1941 UNITED STATES TEN OFFICE MUCKING MACHINE Douglas C. Corner, Greenwich, Conn.

Application May 16, 1939, Serial No. 274,005

18 Claims.

My invention relates to digging machines, and

mo-re particularly to machines of the mucking type.

My machine comprises a carriage which may be adapted to travel on a track, and which is self-propelled. Mounted at the front of the carriage is a dipper which is pivoted on a boom, the boom being adapted to pivot in an up and down, and also in a sidewise direction. In operation the carriage is driven forward with the dipper and boom in a lowered position, and when the dipper scoops up a load of muck the boom is raised and the dipper discharges onto a moving conveyor which conveys the muck to the other end of the machine where it may be deposited in a car or other Vehicle to remove the muck.

In the particular construction shown, the boom is provided with a trough which directs the muck from the dipper downwardly onto the traveling conveyor. In order to prevent injury to the conveyor, I have provided a movable protection plate which lies over the conveyor and which receives the initial impact of the muck discharged down- Wardly from the dipper. The protection plate is movable to gradually deposit the muck on the conveyor without subjecting the conveyor to the pounding which it would ordinarily receive should the entire dipper load be discharged `directly onto it.

There is an arrangement whereby the withdrawal of the protection plate from its position shielding the conveyor is started during the latter part of the upward movement of the boom. This automatic feature facilitates proper operation of the device. An arrangement is also made whereby the automatic feature can be eliminated at any desired time and manual control of the movement of the protection plate can be eifected as desired.

An object of my invention is to provide an enicient protection of the conveyor from the initial shock of the load of muck, and further to provide means for gradually `and gently feeding the muck to the conveyor.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic control of the movement oi the protection plate element for the conveyor.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the automatic control of the movement of the conveyor protection element fio can be eliminated, and manual control substituted therefor. Y

Still another object of the invention is to permit the operator of the machine, by forward and backward movement of the protector plate,

to give an impetus in the direction of travel of the conveyor to the material which has been` tion consists in the parts and combinations to be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements comprising my invention may be varied in construction, proportions land arrangements, without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical effect without limiting the improvements in their useful applications to the particular constructions which, for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of my device with parts broken away to more clearly show the construction, the alternate position of parts being indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a View taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a view taken along the line 3--3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a detail View, partly in section, showing the construction of the parts which eii'ect automatic operation of the protector plate for the conveyor;

Fig. 5 is a view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. S is a schematic view of the pneumatic system for operating the protector plate, the

lvalve being shown in section;

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing a shift valve arrangement whereby the Yautomatic valve may be thrown out of the systemand the movement of the protector plate manually eected.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown, mounted on tracks I, a carriage 2, which is adapted to be supported by truck wheels 3, of which there are a plurality, one only being shown. The carriage 2 is adapted to be reciprocated on the truck wheels 3 to cause it to travel forward, and in a reverse direction, as required by the operation of the mocking machine.

The truck wheels 3 are driven by a chain 4, which passes over a sprocket 5 carried by the wheel 3, and a sprocket 6 (see Fig. 1). The

.sprocket B is driven, through suitable gearing.

by means of a chainv l, which is in turn driven by a motor mounted on the carriage 2, but not shown in the drawings.

In order to control the backward and forward movement of 'the truck wheels 3 to give the desired motion to the carriage during digging operations, I have shown a. planetary gearing, indicated .generally by the numeral 8 (see dotted construction indicated in Fig. l), which is controlled by means of foot levers 9 mounted on the lhinge link I2 to pivot around the pivot I I.

carriage. Only one of the foot levers 9 is shown for simplicity of construction, though it is to be understood that there are two of them, one foot lever being operated to move the carriage forward through the control exercised by the planetary gearing 8, and the other foot lever through the control exercised by the planetary gearing 8 providing for motion of the carriage in the reverse direction. These foot levers are mounted for easy operation by the operator of the mucking machine, and since they are designed to be operated by the feet of the user of the machine, the operator who is working the machine may use his hands for control of the movement of the dipper and the boom, as desired.

The carriage 2 is provided with a heavy semicircular table Ill which carries a pivot Il that passes through Aa hinge link I2, permitting the The hinge link I2 is provided at one end with a pivot I3, on which is pivoted a trough boom I4. The

trough boom I4 is provided with a rest I5 at its lower side which is adapted to slide over the heavy semi-circular table ID. This construction permits the trough boom to move freely from side to side, pivotingon the pivot II, the rest I5 sliding over the upper face of the semi-circular table I0. Moreover the trough boom I4 can be raised by pivoting on the pivot I3. The

trough boom I4 is provided with two troughlike sides I6 which are adapted to receive the muck from a dipper, indicated generally by the numeral I1. The dipper is pivoted at I8 on the end of the trough boom. The dipper I'I is provided with a shovel-like extension I8 which is adapted to pass under the muck to be moved. Side and vertical motion of the dipper is controlled by means of chains 20 which run to ments are controlled by planetary gear arrangeof both hand levers 25 into the up position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and likewise can be lowered by'movement of both hand levers 25 into the lowered position. All of this construction is well known in the art, and is not described in detail in order to simplify the description of Vthis invention. The drums 24 are adapted to be driven through the planetary gear arrangement above described through a chain drive 2S which passes to and is driven by a motor power unit mounted on the carriage 2 (motor power unit with suitable speed reduction and distribution gearing not shown). l i There is provided a conveyor drive chain 2l' which takes its power from a sprocket driven by the main drive chain 2E, and which drives a roller 28. The roller 28 is a drive roller for a flexible conveyor belt 29, which may be made of reinforced rubber composition or any other suitable construction, and which is adapted to deliver the muck to the rear end of the conveyor frame (not shown). From the rear end of the conveyor frame muck can be delivered to a tram car or truck, or other suitable disposition of the muoked material may be made.

In order to prevent the muck from being discharged from the dipper down the trough formed in the trough boom directly onto the conveyor, I have provided a muck protection plat-e 30, which in operative position is adapted to lie opposite the lower end of the trough boom I4 in its raised position (see dotted lines in Fig. l) Thus the conveyor belt -29 is not subjected to the shock of the heavy muoked material falling from the dipper. The initial shock is borne by the muck protection plate 35. This plate is movable and is adapted to be withdrawn from under the load of material which has fallen thereon. Thus the material is gradually deposited on the conveyor belt 29. Not only is the conveyor belt 29 thus saved from the shock and jar of the heavy load of muck falling directly on the belt, b-ut the material, by reason of the gradual movement of the muck protection plate 31], is gradually deposited on the conveyor belt 29, thus eliminating the strain incident to imparting motion to the entire mass of muoked material in a short period of time. The material, .as explained, is fed gradu ally to the lbelt by gradual withdrawal of the muck protection plate, and there is more time to overcome the inertia of the mass of muoked material than would be the case were the Whole load dumped immediately on the belt. As can be seen, the belt is thus saved not only from the jarring and injurious impact of the falling muoked material, but the belt is also saved in a large measure from the strains incident to overcoming the inertia of the muoked material and imparting motion to it in the direction of travel of the belt. If for any reason the conveyor belt stalls and the muck accumulates on the belt in front of the protector plate, then the upward and rearward movement of the protector plate will serve as an aid in starting the conveyor belt into action.

InV order to move the muck protection plate 3), the plate is shown as mounted on rollers 3I which ar-e adapted to travel in slots 32 formed in the upstanding sides 33 of an I-beam construction 34, whose central web is indicated by the numeral 35, and whose downwardly extending flanges are indicated by the numeral 36 (see Fig. 3). Mounted on either side or the protection plate 35 are flare plates 31 which direct the material on to the protection plate 30. The guide plates 3l extend throughout the length of the sides 33. 'This construction holds the material on the conveyor belt 29 after the material has been deposited thereon by movement of the muck protection plate 30.

The muck protection plate 3l] has extensions 38 to which are attached at 39 (see Fig. l) plungers 43, which are operated by pneumatic cylinders 4l. The plungers 4Q are provided with piston heads 42 (Fig. 6) which are adapted to be driven to either end of the pneumatic cylinders 4l, depending upon which side of the piston head 42 isw subjected to the pressure of compressed air, as will be later described.

. The conveyor belt 29 passes over an idler roller 43, journaled at 44 in the downwardly extending anges 33 vof the I-beam construction 34. A

guide member is adapted to prevent passage of the muck delivered onto the protection plate 30 forward and into the adjacent pivot construction for the trough boom i4, which has been previously described.

Referring to Figure 6, each pneumatic cylinder 4| is shown as connected to air lines 49 which lead to opposite ends of each cylinder and are adapted to deliver air under pressure to either side of the pistons 42. These air lines 46 are connected to other air lines 41 and 48. The air lines 41 and 48 lead into an automatic cylinder operating valve indicated generally by the numeral 49. The cylinder operating valve 49 is connected to a source of compressed air (not shown) which supplies air toa pipe 59 which leads to the top of the automatic cylinder operating valve 49.

The automatic cylinder operating valve 49 is adapted to deliver compressed air toeither line 41 or 48, depending upon the position of the moving parts of the valve, and at the same time to permit air to be exhausted from the line which is not receiving air under pressure from the source of compressed air.

With the parts shown in the position indicated in Fig. 6, line 48 is receiving compressed air under pressure, and line 41 is in communication with the atmosphere. Thus it will be seen that the piston heads 42 are moved to the left, with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 6, since the line 4B is connected to the source of compressed air and the pistons have been driven to their extreme left position, as indicated in the drawings. In this position of the parts, the muck protection plate 30 is in the operative position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4, and as indicated also in Fig. 1.

The automatic cylinder operating Valve 49 is provided at its top with a duct 5I to which are connected downwardly extending ducts There is a plunger 53 mounted in a cylinder construction 54 in the lower part of the valve 49. There is also a plunger 55 which cooperates with the plunger 53, and which is connected thereto by an operating stem 56. operating stem 56 is a valve actuating pin 51. The valve operating stem 56 is extended, as indicated at 58, and is surrounded by a helical compression spring 59, one end of which bears against the plunger 55 and the other end of which bears on the bottom 6l) ci a housing extension El formed on the valve 49. The valve operating pin 51 passes through a packing gland construction, indicated generally by the numeral 62. Air lines 4'! and 48 are connected respectively to ducts 63 and 64 formed below the cylinder 54. An aperture 55 is formed in the side wall of the cylinder 54.

The automatic cylinder operating valve 49, with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 6, provides a passageway through line 59, duct 5l, duct 52, to duct 54 and to air line 48, which leads into the right end of the cylinders 4I, with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 6. YThe left,

Connected to the valve duct 52, duct 63 and air line 41. This will move the pistons 42 in the opposite direction to move the muck protection plate 30 in inoperative position to permit the muck to be deposited on the conveyor belt. This movement is gradual so that the muck is deposited in a step by step manner on the conveyor belt. In the position of the parts `of the valve where the spring 59 is compressed,

the air will be exhausted from the cylinders through the line 48, duct 64, cylinder 54 and aperture 65 to the atmosphere.

When pressure is released on the operating pin 51, the spring 59 will cause the parts of the valve 49 to assume the position illustrated in Fig. 6, and the conveyor protection plate will be moved into its operative position, shielding the conveyor from the shock of the muck deposited onto the plate.

In operation the carriage is caused to move forward by means of foot control of the operating levers 9 to cause the planetary gear arrangement to deliver power to the truck wheels 3 in such a direction as to cause the truck wheels 3 to revolve and move the carriage 2 in a forward direction. As explained previously, depending upon which lever 9 is moved by the foot of the operator, the carriage will be caused to move either forward or backward as desired. This is called among practical operators tramming Let us assume that the dipper I1 has been iilled with muck by this forward movement. In the meantime the operator has caused the trough boom to take a position either to one side or the other of the carriage, as desired, or to have a direction which causes the axis of the trough boom to substantially coincide with the axis ci tramming of the carriage.

It will be understood that the operator can, by ccntrol oi the operating handles 25, cause the trough boom carrying the dipper to assume a desired horizontal position within the limits of operation of the device.

When the dipper has been filled, both operating handles 25 are moved into position to raise the dipper to the position indicated in Fig. l. in dotted lines. Here the muck will vfall out of the dipper into the trough boom i4, and will be deposited on the conveyor protection plate 30. Note, however, that there is formed as a continuation of the lower end of the trough bcom an arcuate plate 65. In the last stages of the upward movement of the trough boom this arcuate operating plate 55 will contact an operating rod 61 journaled for reciprocating motion and adapted to be carried by the heavy semi-circular table ID. The rod 61 is attached to an arm G8 which in turn is attached to the valve operating pin 51 of the automatic spring loaded cylinder operating valve 49. When the arcuate plate contacts the rcd 61 the pin 51 is moved to admit air to the left side of the cylinders 4|, with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 6, to drive the pistons 42 to the right to cause the conveyor protecting plate 30 to move in the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. fl. f

Thus it will be seen that the movement of the conveyor protection plate 3i) is automatic and occurs in the last stages of the raising of the trough boom, and after the muck has been discharged onto the protective Occasionally it may be necessary or desirable to eliminate the-operation of the automatic cylinder operating valve. Such an arrangement is indicated diagrammatically in '7, where the lines 41 and 48 are connected to a shift valve 10, to which also lead lines 1l and '5.2. The shift valve I is provided with a central cylindrical chamber 13 in Which is adapted to rotate a valve member 14, manually controlled (manual control not shown). Leading into the cylindrical portion 13 of the shift valve 'F0 are pipes l5 and 16 Which are connected to lines 46 leading to the ends of the operating cylinders 4|.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 7, the automatic cylinder operating valve 49 will be `in operation and will automatically attend to the movement of the conveyor protection plate 3|), since pipe 4I is in communication with pipe 15, andA pipe 48 is in communication with pipe 16.

By rotating the element 14, however, to block communication between pipes 4l and l5 and pipes 48 and 16, and to open communication between pipes and. pipes 1|, and pipe 'i6 and pipe 12, the movement of the protection plate 35) can be manually effected by means of the manual control valve indicated generally by the numeral 8G.

The valve 86 is connected to pipes and 12, and also to a pipe 8| which in turn is connected to the pipe 50 in communication with the compressed air source. There is a rotatable central element 32 in the valve 8|) which may be rotated manually. (Means for manual operation not indicated in the drawings.) The valve 8|] is pro-vided with a central cylindrical chamber 83 which is in communication at 84 with the atmosphere.

Let us assume that the central rotatable element i4 of the shift valve 1|! is in such position as to cause pipes 15 and 'H to be in cornmunication, and pipes 16 and 'I2 to be in communication. Then with the parts of the manually operated valve 80 in the position shown in Fig. 7, there will be communication from the source of compressed air through pipe 56, pipe 8|, central aperture 83 of the valve, pipe 12 to pipe 16, which communicates air to the right side of the cylinders. Air can be exhausted from the left side of the cylinders 4| through pipe 15, pipe 1|, central aperture 83, and duct 84 leading to the atmosphere. By rotating the member 82, air can be admitted to the other side of the cylinders 4| and permitted to escape to the atmosphere from the right side of the cylinders 4|.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a system of control which may be automatic, or as occasion renders it desirable, the automatic feature may be eliminated and the control of the movement ofthe conveyor protection plate may be made manual.

` The conveyor protecting plate prevents injury to the conveyor and greatly prolongs the useful life of the conveyor in actual operation, fornot only is the conveyor'saved from the impactof heavy masses of muck containing rocks and other debris, but the load is deposited on the conveyor in a gradual manner so that the inertia of the total mass is gradually overcome, rather than suddenly overcome as would be the case were the full load dumped at one time on the moving conveyor.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth by Way of illustration, as it is apparent that many changes and variations Vmay be made therein,

by those skilled in the art, Without departing from the spirit of the invention, or exceeding the scope means to raise the dipper to dump the material,

a protection plate onto which the material falls, a conveyor located under the protection plate, and means operated by said means for raising said dipper, to move the protection plate along the conveyor, to cause the material to be deposited from said plate onto the conveyor.

2. A mucking machine comprising a dipper, means to raise the dipper to dump the material, a protection plate onto which the material falls, a conveyor located under the protection plate, and means operated by the last part of the movement only of the rst named raising means to move the protection plate in a direction away from the conveyor anddeposit the material on the conveyor.

3. A control system for a mucking machine comprising a conveyor, a movable protection plate mounted over the conveyor on which the material is adapted to be dumped, automatic means for controlling the movement of the protection plate, means to render inoperative the automatic means, and means operative when the automatic means is inoperative to move the protection plate.

4. A control system for a mucking machine having a conveyor, and a movable protection plate onto which the material is adapted to be dumped, extending along and mounted over the conveyor, means for moving said protection plate in a direction awayfrom the conveyor, to deposit material thereon, said control system comprising, a pneumatic control valve for controlling operation of said means for moving said protection plate, and means for operating said control valve and causing said plate to move away from said conveyor in a predetermined sequence of operation of said machine.

5. A control system for a mucking machine having a conveyor, a movable protection plate mounted over the conveyor onto which the material is adapted to be dumped, and means to dump material on the protection plate; comprising, an automatic control valve whose setting is regulated by movement of said means, motor means for moving the plate controlled by the automatic valve, a manually operated valve for also controlling the motor means, and a shift valve to shift from the automatic control to the manual control.

6. A mucking machine comprising a carriage, a trough boom pivoted on the carriage, a dipper pivoted on one end of the trough boom, a conveyor, a movable protection plate mounted over the conveyor onto which the material from the trough boom discharges, motor means to move the protection plate in a direction away from the conveyor, to deposit material thereon, and control means for the motor means actuated by swinging movement of said trough boom. v

7. A mucking machine comprising a carriage, a trough boom pivoted on the carriage, a dipper pivoted on one end of the trough boom, a conveyor, a movable protection plate mounted over the conveyor onto Which the material from the trough boom discharges, motor means to move the protection plate in a direction away from the conveyor, to deposit material thereon, and automatic control means operated by the upward movement of the trough boom to render operative the motor means to cause the protection plate to deposit the material thereon onto the conveyor.

8. A mucking machine comprising a carriage, a trough boom pivoted on the carriage, a dipper pivoted on one end of the trough boom, a conveyor, a movable protection plate mounted over the conveyor onto which the material from the trough boom discharges, motor means to move the protection plate in a direction away from the conveyor, to deposit material thereon, a valve adapted to automatically control the motor means, a valve actuating pin for the valve, and means controlled by the movement of the trough boom to move the valve actuating pin including a member on said trough boom adapted to engage said pin.

9. A mucking machine comprising a carriage, a trough boom pivoted on the carriage, a dipper pivoted on one end of the trough boom, a conveyor, a movable protection plate mounted over the conveyor ontowhich the material from the trough boom discharges, motor means to move the protection plate, a valve adapted to automatically control the motor means, a valve actuating pin for the valve, and an arcuate plate carried by the trough boom to contact the valve actuating pin.

10. A mucking machine comprising a carriage, a trough boom pivoted on the carriage, a dipper pivoted on one end of the trough boom, a conveyor, a movable protection plate mounted over the conveyor onto which the material from the trough boom discharges, motor means to move the protection plate, a valve adapted to automatically control the motor means, a valve actuating pin for the valve, means controlled by the movement of the trough boom to move the valve actuating pin, said means being in operative contact with the valve actuating pin only in the advanced raised positions of the trough boom.

11. A mucking machine comprising a carriage, a trough boom pivoted on the carriage, a dipper pivoted on one end of the trough boom, a conveyor, a movable protection plate mounted over the conveyor onto which the material from the trough boom discharges, motor means to move the protection plate, a valve adapted to automatically control the motor means, a valve actuating pin for the valve, an arcuate plate carried by the trough boom to contact the valve operating pin, said arcuate plate being in operative contact with the valve operating pin only in the advanced raised positions of the trough boom.

12. A mucking machine comprising a carriage, a trough boom pivoted on the carriage, a dipper pivoted on one end of the trough boom, a conveyor, a movable protection plate mounted over the conveyor onto which the material from the trough boom discharges, motor means to move the protection plate in a direction away from the conveyor, to deposit material thereon, a valve adapted to automatically control the motor means, a valve actuating pin for the valve, means controlled by the movement of the trough boom to move the valve actuating pin including a member on said trough boom adapted to engage said pin, and other means for manually controlling the motor means.

13. A mucking machine comprising a carriage, a trough boom pivoted on the carriage, a dipper pivoted on one end of the trough boom, a conveyor, a movable protection plate mounted over the conveyor onto which the material from the trough boom discharges, motor means to move the protection plate, a valve adapted to automatically control the motor means, a valve actuating pin for the valve, an arcuate plate carried by the trough boom to contact the valve actuating pin, and other means forV manually controlling the motor means.

14. A mucking machine comprising a carriage, a trough boom pivoted on the carriage, a dipper pivoted on one end of the trough boom, a conveyor, a movable protection plate mounted over the conveyor onto which the material from the trough boom discharges, motor means to move the protection plate, a valve adapted to automatically control the motor means, a valveactuating pin for the valve, means controlled by the movement of the trough boom to move the valve actuating pin, said means being in operative contact with the valve actuating pin only in the advanced raised positions of the trough boom, and other means for manually controlling the motor means.

15. A mucking machine comprising a carriage, a trough boom pivoted on the carriage, a dipper pivoted on one end of the trough boom, a conveyor, a movable protection plate mounted over the conveyor onto which the material from the trough boom discharges, motor means -to move the protection plate, a valve adapted toautomatically control the motor means, a valve actuating pin for the valve, an arcuate plate carried by the trough boom to contact the valve operating pin, said arcuate plate being in operative contact with the valve operating pin only in the advanced raised positions of the trough boom, and other means for manually controlling the motor means.

16. In a mucking machine, a conveyor, a dipper, and means to prevent injury to said conveyor by the direct dropping of muck thereon from said dipper including a protection plate eX- tending over and along the receiving end of the conveyor and adapted to have material discharged directly thereon, a material retaining member extending across said protection plate, and means actuated by swinging movement of said dipper for moving said plate relative to said member to cause said member to scrape material from said plate onto said conveyor.

17. In a mucking machine, a conveyor, a boom, a dipper on the end of said boom for picking up material and discharging it onto said conveyor, and means to prevent injury to said conveyor caused by the dropping of material thereon including a protection plate extending over the receiving end of the conveyor and adapted to have material discharged directly thereon from said dipper, a material retaining member extending across said protection plate, and means actuated by swinging movement of said boom for moving said protection plate relative to said member to cause said member to scrape material from said plate onto said conveyor.

18. In a mucking machine, a conveyor and a dipper on the end of a boom for picking up material and discharging it onto said conveyor, end and side walls forming a hopper at the receiving end of said conveyor, and means to prevent injury to said conveyor caused by the direct dropping of material thereon from said dipper including a protection plate extending over and along the receiving end of said conveyor and adapted to have material discharged directly thereon from said dipper, and means for moving said protection plate beneath an end wall of said hopper, to permit said end wall to scrape material from said plate onto said conveyor.

DOUGLAS C. CORNER. 

